Update #3 - I am even more awesome, and damn lazy to boot
Hello everybody, welcome back to Jasede's Let's Play Dark Omen! Last time we and our strong, well-trained men with glistening abs that would make King Leonidas look like mama's boy were faced with a tough choice- To defend Bogenhafen from the imminent attack or to screw them folk and ride on to Helmgart.
You, my esteemed readers, made that choice- and throw me into one helluva mission! First let's see what our good pal Morgan says when faced with the same choice-
:evil: I'll not allow the countess to come to harm! I gave her my personal word on that. We stay! Prepare to fight!
Battle 5 - Defending Bogenhafen
Our objective? Destroy all undead that swarm the town. You might want to crank up the gamma, this is a very dark mission.
We begin in the centre of the map, near this creepy church. Speaking of the map, let's take a look.
Well, shit. It's hard to see, but the town has entrances to the north, the north-east, the east, the south, the south-east, the south-west amd the west. And we're right in the middle. Oh joy! Also, some bad news-
Morgan! The infantry-men and the cannon-crew got drunk in the pub and can't aid us in this battle! You, the crossbowmen and that queer wizard are all alone!
:evil: ...
I am -so- delighted to fight so very close to you, commander. And my what broad shoulders you have!
:evil: &
...
Oh well. Let's start the battle! Right at the start a necromancer whispers:
:twisted: You should have left when you had the chance!
Not only that, he also raises two regiments of slow-moving zombies at the north entrance.
Brains!
We aren't impressed and the Blast spell of the wizard, the Grudgebringer sword and the crossbows (my very favourite unit in both Warhammer Fantasy games) slay them quite easily before they can come too close for comfort.
If you noticed, I am using the Bright Wizard as bait- I move him around while the zombies chase him, occasionally setting some on fire, but mainly so the crossbows can decimate them while the cavalry kills those zombies that survived the first waves of ranged attacks. When the zombies are finally killed our wizard spots more advancing from the south-east! We turn the cavalry to attack them and-
Oh shit.
-spot another unit of zombies very damn close to the crossbows and cavalry- they snuck up on us! Not a problem though- we charge them as fast as we can with the cavalry while the crossbows and the wizard attack the south-eastern unit of zombies.
Eat fire, undead scum!
Just as we think we got things under control...
"Enemy sighted!"
:evil: They're coming from all sides! Back to back we must fight those restless dead!
As you can see we are in serious trouble- undead archers from the south-west are just taking aim at the cavalry and zombie-hordes crawl towards the wizard and the crossbows from the east.
We order Morgan to charge the skeleton archers with his men before they can do too much harm- Luther and Fletcher and his men are on their own!
"Target destroyed!"
And they do well! We keep withdrawing them from the slow zombies and firing at them whenever we can, whittling their numbers down. As you could see on the shot above, Fletcher already managed to kill a unit of zombies with his crossbows. Well done, buddy! You are, after all, leader of my favourite unit.
There's trouble brewing, though- while we keep retreating the crossbowmen and the wizard from the zombies, and while Morgan is busy mowing the skeletal bowmen down-
-we run into a regiment of skeletal warriors! Damnit. Also, the zombies got between the wizard and the crossbowmen and now they're split. We're in trouble! However, the crossbows do get some very clear and devastating shots on the zombies from this position while they chase the wizard.
Just not clear enough- the skeletal warriors and zombies keep chasing Luther. Well, since he's a wizard that bit of running won't do him harm, I guess. Quite some time passes in which Luther leads the undead behind him. We're going to surprise them with the crossbows when they come to the east side of the church, and have the cavalry, that finished fighting the bowmen by then, charge their backs...
At least that's what we'd do if not for those skeletal warriors that come to attack from the north!
Thinking fast, Fletcher orders his men to move further east and meet with the wizard- and *just* as the undead are about to reach them, Morgan charges them from the back! Thank you, Morgan!
This gives us opportunity to move our ranged troops to the south-east- they're, after all, still being chased by that new unit of skeletons that came from the north.
We employ the same tactic: We move our troops steadily away from the undead while, every once in a while, firing a fireball or bolts at them, hopefully killing the unit before they get too close. Morgan valiantly fights skeletons as Fletcher and Luther try to keep the undead that outnumber us heavily as far from their pelts as they can.
Fuck.
Yeah. We were too slow- the zombies managed to get too close- they charge Fletcher! He knows he won't last in melee so he orders his men to flee... Luther, maybe out of being a pussy, or out of solidarity, throws a fit of panic and also runs away from the dead. Only Morgan can save us now!
Thank you, Jesus.
And he does! He charges them just before they can start cutting the fleeing troops down, destroying the zombies and then charging the skeletons, soon joined by the crossbowmen. They may suck in melee, but since they charged the skeletons at their backs they get some hefty combat boni. But what's this?
You got to be kidding me.
You got to be fucking kidding me!
That's right. As we try to destroy the skeletons - a very durable enemy, that - a necromancer and more skeletons come to attack us. What's a necromancer gonna do? Well, for example, kill half a unit in seconds or make even your toughest guys flee with a spell. Yeah, I know. We have to kill him ASAP! Also, if you noticed, Luther stopped fleeing- maybe because he is no longer afraid, but I would rather think he just ran out of breath and hence ceased to run.
Burn! Umm... why isn't this working?
We shoot the necromancer with bolts and magic, but the trouble is- most wizards, necromancer included, can cast a spell that will make them immune to magic... The strange glow on the crossbowmen you can see means that the necromancer tried to use the "fear" spell on them, but luckily, they made their save. Or rather, they're just too badass to be fazed.
Finally the necromancer yields to Fletcher's bolts. Victory is in sight! The Grudgebringer Cavalry fights hard to defeat the last skeletons...
And with a last fireball, it is done... our men peer into the dark, glum, rugged and tired from the battle... it takes a while before the realisation dawns on them- They have won! This time. The only thing that's louder than the triumphant cheers of them and the townsfolk are the fireworks held in celebration of our glorious battle!
Let's get drunk!
Let's!
:evil: Let's!
We are done! Or are we? One of the firecrackers - or at least that's the story the Grudgebringers tell - hit the book-shop of the village by accident... Other accounts of the story speak of a drunken Bright Wizard who found a really rare book inside the shop and burned the shop down because the bookseller didn't appreciate the kind of payment the wizard had in mind. We don't talk much about it.
:Final Fantasy Victory Fanfare:
Grudgebringer Cavalry levels up! Melee accuracy +1!
Not a bad run, but losing 3 cavalry was not really needed. They are- thanks to you bitches who made me buy armour- very expensive to replace and most of the takes of this mission will go to replace the fallen men, leaving us with a profit of mere 500 or so.
The book we, uh, acquired.
After the battle, still groggy from the alcohol, we listen to the major's praise!
What a spectacular victory, commander! The folk of Bogenhafen owe you their lives! How could we ever repay you?
How can you repay us? I'll give you a clue. Zey are round, zey glitter and zey fill purses!
Uhm... I am not sure what you are getting at...
:evil: Think about it. But not too long.
Oh yes, yes! You'll be paid in full. Goes without saying.
:wink: As for me, commander... what payment can recompense for saving my life?
:evil: Good question. One I have heard many times before. Perhaps we will speak of it when I return.
:wink: Are you going, commander?
:evil: I am always going somewhere.
We must leave you, countess, and ride to Helmgart. The mayor will protect you with his men.
What? Uh? Er... Oh... Yes...
:evil: Make sure you do. Else I have some advice for you- next time you see me- RUN.
Yes, I will! - Err. I mean, I will give my life for her...
:evil: Good. Klaus! We go!
Tune in next time when we see the consequence defending Bogenhafen had on the next mission!